Cauliflower “Osso Bucco”

By Barbara Spalding

Cauliflower steaks are a great culinary alternative to various animal-based proteins. If you follow a plant-based diet, think about using them in place of beef, veal or other animal proteins. Foods that are rich in vitamin C, like cauliflower, can help with iron absorption. As a cruciferous vegetable that contains phytochemicals, cauliflower may also have cancer-fighting properties.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash and slice cauliflower into “steaks.”

Dredge cauliflower in flour (you may need to dip it in water briefly first to get the flour to stick).

Place olive oil in large skillet and briefly brown the cauliflower steaks on medium high heat until a rich golden color. Turn at least once during cooking to prevent burning and ensure steaks have a slight golden crust on both sides.

Push cauliflower to the side of the pan (or remove it to a plate if pan is too crowded) and add the garlic, carrots and lemon zest. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomato paste and broth and stir until blended. (If you removed the cauliflower from the pan in step 3, add it back to the pan at this time.)

Cover the pan and place in the 350 degree F oven to bake for approximately 45 minutes until the cauliflower is soft and the sauce is blended.

Check on it periodically to ensure there is enough liquid in the pan (you are braising the cauliflower, so the liquid should partially cover it while it cooks).

Adjust seasonings, if needed.

To serve, garnish with gremolata.

To make gremolata,: Using a small bowl, combine 4 cloves of finely minced garlic, 1/2 cup washed and finely chopped fresh parsley, and 1 Tbsp. lemon zest. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

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